The Norquist Factor

A new proposal from the Republicans! Yipee! Still no actual offer to raise taxes. Just tax reform.

I reiterate that anti-tax advocate Grover Norquist will not let the Republicans out of their pledge to vote against any tax increase ever. Norquist is demanding that all talks be televised, no doubt, so he can finish off any Republican who violates the pledge.

To me, this new proposal once again demonstrates that there can be no Vacation Without Legislation. At the same time, the Republicans and the Democrats are each daring the other to let the fiscal cliff come and go. Then the Republicans can fight for lower taxes for all they can get and be champions to everyone. The Democrats can claim that the Republicans gave you the recession we are likely to get.

One thing is certain, the strength of the anti-tax-increase pledge among the Republicans, I think, has gotten stronger. Those who are thinking impure thoughts, again, to quote Norquist, have gotten back in line.

The window is closing just when it should be opening. But how can it not when Republicans are afraid to even mention the words "tax" and "increase" in the same sentence unless it is to say "over my dead body"?